onion prices SA
Are ONIONS becoming a luxury in SA? Onion prices spike by 67% in a year Photos: Stock/Canva

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Are ONIONS becoming a luxury in SA? Onion prices spike by 67% in a year

Are ONIONS becoming luxury items for SA households? Recent statistics showed that the price of onions has spiked by 67% in a year.

24-08-23 16:02
onion prices SA
Are ONIONS becoming a luxury in SA? Onion prices spike by 67% in a year Photos: Stock/Canva

South African households are grappling with the distressing surge in food prices, with a particular concern looming over the soaring costs of onions.

ARE ONIONS BECOMING A LUXURY IN SA?

Mervyn Abrahams, the programme co-ordinator for PMBEJD, told IOL earlier this year there had been a massive spike in the price of basic vegetables.

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“Two of the most bought vegetables that we have seen increases in are potatoes and onions. We have seen a 52% increase in the price of potatoes, and a 67% increase in the price of onions year on year. In March 2022 you would have been paying R63.70 for a 10kg pocket of potatoes, but in March 2023 you were paying R97.12 for the same pocket.”

Mervyn Abrahams

ONION PRICES SPIKES BY 67% IN A YEAR

A 10kg bag of onions cost R77.29 in March 2022, while in March 2023 it cost R125.74. Abrahams added that the price of carrots and tomatoes had also risen.

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Recent statistics from Stats SA have unveiled a staggering 14.0% year-on-year increase in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, marking the most significant leap since March 2009’s 14.7% upswing.

Are ONIONS becoming a luxury in SA? Onion prices spike by 67% in a year
Are ONIONS becoming a luxury in SA? Onion prices spike by 67% in a year Photo: Twitter/@StatsSA

THIS HAS BEEN LINKED TO THE REPERCUSSIONS OF LOAD SHEDDING

The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group (PMBEJD) has honed in on the alarming escalation in onion prices, painting a worrisome picture for consumers.

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Agri SA, a key player in the agricultural sector, has linked this unsettling trend to the repercussions of load shedding, which has dealt a blow to food production processes.

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Last year, it was toilet paper, and then it was cooking oil. Prices for liquid gold skyrocketed.